Interview Skills
Behavioral Interview Questions
Behavioral interviewing is a technique used by employers to make predictions about a potential
employee’s future success based on past behaviors. In behavior-based interviews, candidates are
asked to give specific examples of when they demonstrated particular behaviors or skills.
Vague, general answers are not acceptable. Instead, the candidate must describe in detail a
particular event, project, or experience; explain how he/she dealt with the situation; and
summarize the outcome.
FORMULA for responding to behavioral questions: PAR
Identify the Problem
Describe the Action you took
Summarize the Result
Examples of behavioral interview questions:
Describe a time when you were faced with problems or stressors at work that tested your
coping skills. What did you do?
Give an example of a time when you had to be relatively quick in coming to a decision.
Give me an example of an important goal you had to set and tell me about your progress in
reaching that goal.
Describe the most creative work-related project you have completed.
Give me an example of a problem you faced on the job, and tell me how you solved it.
Tell me about a situation in which you had to deal with a very upset customer or coworker.
Give me an example of a time when you had to show leadership.
Tell me about a time you failed at something, and explain what you might have done
differently. (Do you take responsibility or blame a problem on something/someone else?)
Tell me about a time when you were faced with a dilemma or an obstacle and tell me how you
responded to that situation. (How do you go about overcoming obstacles?)
Describe a time when you were working as part of a team, and one of the team members didn’t
do his or her share of the work. (Can you work effectively with other people and help resolve
interpersonal problems when they arise?)
Traditional Job Interview Questions
Tell me about yourself.
What do you see as your greatest strength, and what would be your greatest weakness?
What do you know about our company?
What is it about this particular job that appeals to you?
What are your career goals? Why did you choose this career path?
What makes you a good candidate for this position?
What would you do if your supervisor told you to do something illegal?
What did you like most/least about your last job?
What does good customer service mean to you?
In your opinion, what are the characteristics of an outstanding team member?
What professional or civic organizations to you belong to?
What would your last supervisor say about you?
What motivates you? How do you motivate others?
How do you handle high pressure, stressful situations?
Which of your accomplishments has give you the most satisfaction, and why?
Why should I hire you?
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Questions You May Ask
At the end of the interview, the interviewer will often ask if you have any questions. This is a
good opportunity to gather more information and determine whether or not you’re interested in
the job. It’s a good idea to come to the interview with some questions prepared ahead of time.
Here are some examples of good questions to ask of the prospective employer.
What qualities are you looking for in the person you select to fill this position?
Would you please describe a typical day for the person working in this job?
If hired, would I be filling a newly created position, or replacing someone?
How would I be trained or introduced to the job?
What are the department’s (or company’s) goals?
Who would I be working with, and what do they do?
How and when would I be evaluated?
If hired, who would be my immediate supervisor?
What types of skills or experience are most important to be successful in this position?
How many people work for this department/company?
What would I be expected to accomplish within the first six months on the job?
When do you expect to make a hiring decision?
(Interview Skills/07-2015)